From New York’s Bitter End to Apparitions: Denise Mangiardi’s Continuing Journey
At 14, Denise Mangiardi was already performing her own compositions at New York City’s Bitter End. Decades later, the Long Island-born pianist, vocalist and composer is preparing to release Apparitions, her ninth album, in November 2026.
One encounter from her early performing career has remained particularly significant. After a New York performance with her band when she was 24, a man approached her and said: “Whatever you do, never give up on music.” She later discovered that he was composer and arranger Gil Evans, who had been listening alongside Miles Davis.
Mangiardi’s development also included personal guidance from jazz pianist and accompanist Ellis Larkins, who took a special interest in her career. Her formal studies took her to Berklee College of Music, where she majored in piano and composition, followed by three master’s degrees. Her education included composition at Trinity Laban in London and film scoring in Sofia, Bulgaria.
On Apparitions, Mangiardi brings that accumulated experience to a deeply personal project centred on storytelling. The album is co-produced by Chris Hyson and includes three songs recorded with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in Glasgow. “Thursday’s Child” is the lead single.
The new record continues a career that has moved between jazz clubs, recording studios and orchestral concert halls. Mangiardi will celebrate its release with a CD launch performance at PizzaExpress Live in Soho, London, on Sunday 17 January 2027, adding another live milestone to a journey that began with her own songs on a New York stage.
